The Song Does Not Remain the Same
by Sub Prime Directive
Summary: Alternate ending to 5x13 "The Song Remains the Same", Sam thinks he has a way to stop the apocalypse, which involves him never being born, but Dean isn't too fond of the idea. And when Michael heals Sam, who is killed by Anna, it appears he didn't do as good of a job as he thought...


**Dean: "You have no other choice. There's a big difference between dying and never being born. And trust me, we're okay with it, I promise you that"**

 **Mary: "Okay, well, I'm not."**

 **Sam: "Listen, you think you can have that normal life that you want so bad, but you can't. I'm sorry. It's all gonna go rotten. You are gonna die, and your children will be cursed."**

 **Mary: "There—there has to be a way."**

 **Sam: "No, this is the way. Leave John."**

 **Mary: "I can't."**

 **Sam: "This is bigger than us. There are so many more lives at stake—"**

 **Mary: "You don't understand. _I can't."_**

 ** _–The Song Remains the Same, 5x13_**

 ** _――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――_**

"It's too late...I'm...I"m pregnant, " Mary said softly.

Sam and dean absorbed this as John barreled into the room.

"Hey, we got a problem. Those blood things- the sigils- they're gone."

Suddenly windows began to shatter.

Sam immediately took Mary by the arm and began to lead her to the door, stopping a few feet away from where she, himself, and Dean had had their discussion.

"No, it's not too late, not yet. You can still escape, you can still have Dean. It's me they're after, that's all they want, they won't go after you." Sam told Mary in an urgent tone.

She seemed startled, but not enough to render her speechless. She gestured to Sam.

"But what about-" Sam cut her off.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine, and if I'm not, it won't matter soon anyway."

The sound of crashes grew louder, and the wind became stronger. Sam had to raise his voice.

"Can you do this?"

After a moment of studying Sam, Mary finally nodded. Sam nodded in return.

"So this is the last time I, or anyone is ever going to see you?"

Sam seemed to relax, despite the chaos occurring around them.

"If we're lucky. Now go."

Mary took off, eyes moving from Sam to John as an angel walked in calmly through the door.

Sam watched her creep against the wall, moving toward the exit but wary of the holy creature that just came in, and then shifted his attention to the angel. What he didn't notice was Dean, on the same route.

"Who the hell are you?" Sam questioned the angel.

"I'm Uriel."

Dean tuned out the conversation and caught up to Mary, trying to keep a low profile while Sam was busy with the angel. He didn't notice Anna appearing in the other doorway.

"Hey," Dean said, catching Mary's attention. She whipped around. Before she could say anything Dean began to explain.

"Listen, I know what Sam said, and it makes perfect sense. He wants this, and it could be the perfect solution to our problems but...I can't let you. If he never even exists I know I wouldn't be able to mourn...I mean, miss him. Technically. But I don't know, I just...I would. I can't explain it. I'd be able to feel a hole, or a void or something. And if he'd really be gone, then I don't know what I'd do. I can't live without him.

So go, and let Sam think that you're leaving. But come back, I'll make sure John lives and I'll tell him to wait for you."

When he was finished it appeared Mary had tears in her eyes, but he couldn't be sure. She nodded, and left out the door.

Dean turned around just in time to see John fly through the window at Anna's hand.

He watched as Sam dove for the knife that John had dropped, seeing Anna rip a fixture from the wall at the same time.

"Sam, look out!"

Sam turned at the sound of his brother's voice, and was promptly impaled. Dean froze as Sam slumped to the floor, dead.

Anna spun to face Dean, with a look of false sympathy.

"I'm really sorry."

He didn't hear her, he didn't bother to pay her any attention. His eyes were on his Sammy, the person he'd just admitted to never being able to live without. Not even the sudden appearance of John broke his gaze.

"Anna." He said, in a deeper voice than Dean had heard earlier.

"Michael." Anna returned.

Michael put a hand on Anna's shoulder, and she screamed as she burst into flames. He then addressed Uriel. Who disappeared at the snap of Michael's fingers.

It was only then did Dean move his stare. He pointed at Sam.

"Fix him." He said.

"First...we talk. Then I fix your darling Sammy."

"How'd you get in my dad anyway?" Dean asked.

"I told him I could save his wife, and he said yes."

Dean continued to speak with Michael until the angel felt like he had said what he needed to, and then Michael sauntered over to Sam, and placed two fingers on his forehead. Sam vanished. Michael stood up as the pipe, which had previously been pierced within Sam's gut, clanked to the floor.

"He's home. Safe and sound. Your turn. I'll see you soon, Dean."

/

Dean's surroundings changed and he was back at the motel, but there was no little brother in sight. His heart clenched and he began to worry if Mary really did follow Sam's instructions in abandoning John, but a little relief came when he realized if that were true, he wouldn't be standing there in the first place.

"Sam?" He called out. For a moment there was only silence, and Dean wondered if Michael had really kept to his promise. But as he listened, he could make out the sound of heavy breathing coming from the bathroom.

Dean quickly made his way towards the noise and pushed the already open door in further, turning on the light as well.

Sam was slumped on the tile floor, leaning against the toilet. There was blood mixed with saliva dripping from Sam's mouth and into the bowl. Dean hurriedly sat across from him and cupped his face with both hands. He forcefully patted Sam's cheeks in an effort to wake him up. Dean was rewarded with a groan as Sam's eyelids began to flutter.

Sam scrunched his eyes together and began to pull away, and Dean allowed Sam more room, moving his hands from Sam's face to his shoulders, still trying to get him to open his eyes.

Sam slipped to the floor, holding both hands against the spot where he'd been stabbed and pressing his forehead to the dirty tiles. He began to gasp and heave as if he was running out of air.

"Sam! Sammy what's wrong?" Dean exclaimed. He turned Sam on his back and lifted his shirt. Where Anna had stabbed him was a large blue-purple bruise, but no broken skin.

Safe and sound Dean's ass.


End file.
